Once at risk of redevelopment, downtown Nashville’s Church Street ‘pocket park’ now has a plan for 4 years of activities and upkeep

Just three years ago, the Church Street Park was considered an eyesore along a busy downtown Nashville corridor, and its future was questioned.

But the need for a greenspace in such a dense neighborhood outweighed the concerns, and the park had new life breathed into it by the Nashville Downtown Partnership in 2021. Two years later, the partnership kicked off its 2023-24 programming Saturday, thanks in part to a $50,000 sponsorship from Amazon.

“Usable and inviting green spaces are vital to the life of urban communities,” said Courtney Ross in an Amazon news release. The park is just a few blocks from the company’s Nashville headquarters. “And it’s a downtown gem — a true asset for our employees and for downtown at large.”

The programs are year-round, free and include activities such as yoga, pet zones, kids’ activities and live music, says Kacy Stern, the manager of special projects for the Downtown Partnership. Other events range from movie nights to ice cream socials.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” she says. “Anything that is inclusive and equitable and accessible for the community.”

Regular programs backed by Amazon include “Lunchtime Concerts” and “Yoga in the Park” on Tuesdays and Thursdays, “Jazz in the Park” on Mondays, and monthly “Movies in the Park.”

Cacey Lewis, who teaches yoga twice a week at the park, said the programming offers approachability and inclusivity for all people.

“Nashville is growing so quickly,” Lewis said. “There are so many things in Nashville that are becoming inaccessible to people so the programming that’s here at the park is accessible to everyone because it’s free, because it’s for all levels, because it’s for all types.”

The park’s turnaround — after nearly being sold for redevelopment — boils down to a concentrated effort from the Downtown Partnership, says Decorrean Davis, a team lead for the park ambassadors.

“I’ve been here since before it was, how do I say, as beautiful as it is now, and I’ve seen the actual growth of it. I know how the people around here feel about it because I talk to them every day. I know how the unsheltered people feel about having a place that they can be welcomed because I talk to all of them about it … it really makes downtown feel like more of a neighborhood, more of a community.” Davis said. “It’s just a breath of fresh air.”

The Downtown Partnership was brought in to staff the park in 2021 by another partner, the Historic Capitol Corridor Foundation, and is under contract to operate it through November 2027. Other improvements include lighting, security, and cleaning.

“We believe that the park is for all, so for us, it’s about making this a space that is sustainable and available to anyone who wants to use it,” says Stern.